On The Map: A Journey from Manila to Acapulco and Beyond
The incredible books of Felice Sta. Maria opened my eyes to the depth of our cuisine’s history, heritage and culture, a trifecta known in social sciences as the study of a region’s foodways. The Governor General’s Kitchen was my gateway into her body of work, and Pigafetta’s Philippine Picnic is my personal favourite. I am undoubtedly a lifelong student of Filipino food as there is just so much to uncover - and taste!
In 2017 I started the Exploring Filipino Kitchens podcast because I wanted to share what I was learning with others in the diaspora who began to feed their own curiosities about the foods they knew and loved. Growing up in Manila, my family had a singular mission to leave the country for better opportunities elsewhere, and by my late twenties, all I wanted was to return to the Philippines and explore, as much as I could, the many stories that revolved around its kitchens.
In my interview with Ms. Felice, we talked about many things. "Who is the Filipino?" and "How were our favourite dishes cooked originally?" were questions that resonated so deeply, they shaped my life from that point on.
Her books, of course, have also greatly shaped the Istorya team’s approach to culinary exploration through the Galeón series.
"I think it's wonderful that there are more Filipino chefs, restaurants, even non-Filipinos looking into Philippine food. This is really very important. Not only because of the cultural pride it brings Filipinos all over the world, but the fact that there is this economic benefit that can help our farmers and our fishers...if you could just plot the interest and connection between new technologies and the spread of interest in Philippine cuisine, that in itself is an amazing topic that is going to continue, and it's something to be caught now."
Timeless advice from the country's foremost culinary historian!
Further reading:
Budgie Montoya’s essay “Manila to Acapulco: A Route Without Recipes”, with an extensive list of sources consulted. He really dials in on why the galleon trade’s mysteries are so captivating. In our podcast interview we talked about what it means to be “gastronomically Filipino”, as a chef and storyteller, in the places we now call home.
"On the Manila Galleon Trade" by the team at Meryenda. Check out their map illustrating foods exchanged during the galleon era! These thoughtful essays from the diaspora reflect on the questions we ponder together.
- Nastasha (Host, Exploring Filipino Kitchens)
